Cycle EXIF » Touring Bicycleshttp://www.cycleexif.com
Classic bicycles, road bikes, and fixed gearSat, 01 Aug 2015 16:59:47 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Wraith Paycheckhttp://www.cycleexif.com/wraith-paycheck
http://www.cycleexif.com/wraith-paycheck#commentsThu, 09 Jul 2015 16:45:22 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=18892Racing 2,500 miles of European mountains and countryside. Unsupported. Think you could do it? What bike would you ride? There’s plenty of options, and the number grows each season, as more riders accept the challenge of the Transcontinental Race, a… Read more »

Racing 2,500 miles of European mountains and countryside. Unsupported. Think you could do it? What bike would you ride? There’s plenty of options, and the number grows each season, as more riders accept the challenge of the Transcontinental Race, a trek from Flanders to Istanbul.

Roberto is a Sydney rider who will be setting off from Flanders on the 25th of July 2015, and this is what he’ll be riding: a Wraith Fabrication Paycheck.

Wraith Fabrication is the production arm of Stanridge Speed, the workshop of Adam Eldridge, an incredibly proficient frame builder in Columbus, Ohio. We’ve featured a few of Adam’s bikes on Cycle EXIF over the years, and his Highstreet Pursuit was the October bike in our 2012 calendar, photographed by John ‘The Radavist‘ Watson.

The Paycheck was originally intended as a cyclocross frame, but that genre can be loosely translated as a tarmac-style bike that wants to explore the rough stuff. Bigger tyre clearances, a higher bottom bracket and a more stable head tube angle makes off-road excursions more accessible. An unexpected — but suitable — choice for a long distance trek.

All Wraith frames are built from Columbus steel, a convenient association given their city of origin. The main triangle of the Paycheck is built from Life tubing, and there’s a HSS tapered head tube up front. The bearing cups inside the head tube are custom-made for Wraith by a local machinist. The stays are Columbus metal also: S-bend Zona tubes spaced at 132.5mm.

The Transcontinental Race is a major ordeal by any standards, hearkening back to the original vision of Henri Desgrange, father of the Tour de France, who envisioned that “the ideal Tour would be a Tour in which only one rider survives the ordeal.” Roberto and the other racers will be riding 250-300kms a day, sleeping wherever and whenever he can, whether it be roadside or a cheap hotel.

Ben Kamenjas at Sydney’s Cicli Spirito has been building up Roberto’s Wraith and shaking it down for him. Ben built the wheels using a Shutter Precsion Dyno hub on the front, a White Industries CX11 rear, 32-spoke HPLusSon Archetype rims, Sapim CX-Ray spokes and brass nipples — a perfect compromise between weight and durability.

The fork is a carbon ENVE CX unit, painted to match the frame, topped with a Thomson cockpit. The seat post is Thomson too, mounted by a Brooks C15 Cambium saddle. The drivetrain is Ultegra, shifted by a CX70 front derailleur and an Ultegra rear. The gearing is 36/46 on the front with an 11-32 cassette at the back.

The SuperNova Dyno lights were yet to be mounted at time of writing, but it’s a super reliable system, so Roberto’s journey will be well-lit. He’ll be rocking a Oveja Negra (Black Sheep) frame and saddle bag, supplied by Australia’s Bike Bag Dude, with a CamelBak for hydration. Cycle EXIF wishes Roberto the best of luck for the Race, but he’s got a well-sorted steed for the journey. She’ll be right!
Wraith Fabrication Website | Facebook | InstagramCicli Spirito Website | Facebook | Instagram

Culturally, toads get a pretty bad rap compared to their often prettier cousins: frogs. Their dry, leathery skin and short legs lend them a bristly personality, but be assured there’s nothing ugly about this light tourer from England’s Toad Custom Cycles.

Toby Gallagher is a frame builder from Kintbury, West Berkshire, who got lumped with ‘Toad’ as family nickname due to the innocent mistake of spelling his name, when he was very young, with a ‘d’ instead of a ‘b’. Hence, Toby became Today and eventually, Toad.

Unattractive nicknames aside, a Toad Custom Cycle is a thing of beauty: with only several frames in his portfolio, his light tourer won the Public Vote award at the 2015 Bespoked Bristol show. Recently, I had the great pleasure of meeting Toby and his bike at this year’s Eroica Britannia in Bakewell.

The inception of the winning bike came about when Toby was considering doing a bike specifically for Bespoked, but he was also aware that he was travelling to Bakewell for the Eroica event, which has distinct rules concerning the bikes that could be employed:

“2. Steel frame new construction with vintage look and characteristics may be used if they are assembled using vintage components or replicated parts similar to the original.” The die was cast: Toby would build a bike for Bespoked that would adhere to the Eroica guidelines.

“My first task,” Toby tells us, “was to decide which style/era to replicate. As you saw there were many styles of bike at Eroica, ranging from the single speed beasts of the early 20th century right up to late 1980s Peugeots. I wanted to build a light tourer, those typically used for Paris-Brest-Paris.

“I found a beautiful example built by Rene Herse in the mid 60s; It was built for Maurice Macaudiere for his record breaking attempt at the 1966 PBP. As well as the usual setup of 1960s bicycles of this type, the bike had a small front rack with F&R torches for night riding (there was a dynamo, but the added drag meant it was only used in emergencies), centre-pull brakes and frame mounted pump. A seriously beautiful bike, and something well worth emulating.”

“I knew getting an original 1960s groupset to match this type of bike was going to be hard and I changed my mind many times about which route to go, but a chance find of a very good condition complete Shimano 600 Arabesque groupset made my mind up for me. It was being sold by a gentleman in Escondido, California. With shipping it was probably a little more expensive than others might have been, but with a long cage derailleur, it was perfect for a light touring setup.

“With the groupset chosen, I now needed some wheels. Gavin at August Wheelworks put some beautiful wheels together for me: HPlusSon TB14 rims laced to Paul Component Hubs (the Jono rear allowing the use of the original threaded 6-speed Freehub), with Sapim Race spokes.

“The lugged frame was build with Columbus Spirit for Lugs tubing, with a fork to match. The lugs are partially fillet brazed, to soften the acuteness of the angle between the tubes, and carved with a small fang detail as a tip of the cap to the style of lug used by Rene Herse. Other small details include hand carved spare spoke holders, gently curved canti brake hanger, and matching pump pegs.”

Toby continues, “For Bespoked I had it setup in Light Touring mode, with custom front rack, front and rear light and full mudguards. The quill stem was also hand crafted. For Eroica it was stripped down to day-ride mode, with all the touring accessories removed.

“On the day the bike was beautiful to ride, albeit a bit sketchy on the first few wet downhills! Though by the afternoon the sun was out, and the brake pads properly bedded in, and I was having a lot of fun. I was concerned about the gear ratio getting up some of the bigger climbs (like Mam Tor), but I managed to ascend all on the bike, with no walking all day; even that cheeky little brute just after Chatsworth, when my legs were screaming.”

Toby’s bike looks even more graceful in real life, not at all like its namesake, and it looked perfectly at home riding along the gravel trails of the Peak District.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/toad-custom-cycles-light-tourer/feed0Mather Cycles Adventure Tourerhttp://www.cycleexif.com/mather-cycles-adventure-tourer
http://www.cycleexif.com/mather-cycles-adventure-tourer#commentsTue, 09 Jun 2015 16:45:21 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=18675Back in 2014, Robin Mather designed and built Nick Hand of the Letterpress Collective a cargo-style bike that could carry an Adana printing press. Together, they rode with it from Bristol to Mainz in Germany, where Johannes Gutenberg invented printing… Read more »

Back in 2014, Robin Mather designed and built Nick Hand of the Letterpress Collective a cargo-style bike that could carry an Adana printing press. Together, they rode with it from Bristol to Mainz in Germany, where Johannes Gutenberg invented printing with moveable type in the 15th century.

While the project was more of a learning process, the bike was a complete success, and proved Robin’s propensity for making beautiful, functional bikes. His Adventure Tourer is more proof — inspired by Robin’s own travels on his first ‘proper’ bike, an early 90s Kona Fire Mountain.

Back in the ‘good old days’, before things got too specialized, mountain bikes came ready for racks and panniers, whether you wanted them or not. The Fire Mountain was Robin’s only bike, and he rode it “without questioning whether it was the best bike for the job — the local woods, daily commutes and my first tours around France”.

Robin made himself a more conventional tourer at the beginning of his frame building career — drop bars, skinny tubes, 700×32 tyres etc — but he didn’t like it as much. “The Kona, with its larger volume tyres and relatively stiff frame and fork, was more comfortable and handled more precisely with a full set of panniers on”.

Since then, he’s toured extensively around France, Italy and Spain, and further afield to Ethiopia and Iceland, all aboard bikes that were inspired by the Fire Mountain. While mountain biking has evolved since 1992, Robin still reckons that the rigid frame, with long wheelbase and smaller-diameter wheels, is the perfect format for both long distances and blasting his local single track.

“This particular bike,” Robin tells us, “was built last summer for a trip to Mainz in Germany. I was involved in a plan with a friend of mine, Nick Hand, to build a bike capable of carrying a small printing press and then ride it to the birthplace of letterpress printing. We documented the journey in a series of postcards, printed on the bike and sent back to people who had supported the project on Kickstarter.”

“Shortly before setting off I realised that as Nick was carrying the printing press on his bike I would end up being a bit of a mule for everything else and that none of my current bikes were quite up to the job.”

“I don’t like to miss an opportunity to build myself a new bike and was keen to try out one or two details like the crush bend on the chainstays. The H-bars had been hanging on the wall of my workshop for a while waiting for a home.”

You could be forgiven for experiencing pangs of nostalgia while admiring the Mather Cycles Adventure Tourer, but perhaps it’s reassurance that even today, it’s possible to own a bike that’s capable of a long tour and once the panniers are off, you can shred trails on it too. Like the fox on the head badge, it’s a cunning bike, in the traditional sense of the word.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/mather-cycles-adventure-tourer/feed0Royal H Cycles Old Man Sweater Randohttp://www.cycleexif.com/royal-h-cycles-old-man-sweater-rando
http://www.cycleexif.com/royal-h-cycles-old-man-sweater-rando#commentsMon, 11 May 2015 16:45:08 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=18467Sure, it’s a funny name. And the geometry might not be what you’re used to seeing either. But the story behind the latest build from Massachusetts’s Royal H Cycles is one of a very tall customer who needed a bike… Read more »

Sure, it’s a funny name. And the geometry might not be what you’re used to seeing either. But the story behind the latest build from Massachusetts’s Royal H Cycles is one of a very tall customer who needed a bike that only a custom frame builder could supply.

The paint? That was, indeed, inspired by an old man’s sweater.

The whole raison d’être of Cycle EXIF is to profile the beauty of the custom bicycle, and in particular the skill of the handmade frame builder. Where that really comes to the fore is for customers who need or want a bike that can’t be supplied by the mass market.

Viz Bryan Hollingsworth, of Royal H Cycles, who was approached by a taller rider that, years ago, had hurt his neck and had “since tried every bar, stem, and spacer combination possible, all with unsuccessful results.”

Finally, an ‘almost’ comfortable combination had been found, which included “as many spacers that will fit, a steep stem, and Nitto Bosco bars” — the only thing lacking was the fact he wanted to ride with drop bars.

For Bryan, this sounded like the perfect justification for a custom frame — not to mention a worthy challenge. He designed a solution with a sloping top tube and a slightly relaxed head angle to get the brake levers within reach.

True Temper tubing was used for the front triangle, which Bryan prefers when he has to route the cables inside the tubes, as they offer the most variety of butt lengths, allowing for the entry/exit points to be placed at the thicker sections. The tubes were joined with Llewellyn lugs.

While Bryan’s customer offered an ‘old man sweater’ for the colour reference, the customer is anything but old, he’s actually a musician and guitar builder; and another local. Never before have those faded russet tones looked so good.

The older 9-speed Octalink Dura-Ace crankset and Ultegra rear mech were retained from the customer’s previous bike not for budget restraints but simply because they still worked fine and look great. Which is quite a refreshing sentiment: why needlessly create more waste?

Bryan is an alumnus of another Massachusetts’ local, Seven Cycles, but he continues to pave his own way as a sympathetic, flexible and highly refined builder under his own ensign as Royal H Cycles. Special thanks to Eric Baumann for the photos.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/royal-h-cycles-old-man-sweater-rando/feed0Rowan Frameworks Blue Tourerhttp://www.cycleexif.com/rowan-frameworks-blue-tourer
http://www.cycleexif.com/rowan-frameworks-blue-tourer#commentsThu, 07 May 2015 16:45:27 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=18417The Bicycle Academy is a frame building school in Somerset, England, that’s dedicated to teaching anyone wanting to learn how to make their own bike. They do a good job: Timmy Rowan of Rowan Frameworks is a recent graduate who… Read more »

The Bicycle Academy is a frame building school in Somerset, England, that’s dedicated to teaching anyone wanting to learn how to make their own bike. They do a good job: Timmy Rowan of Rowan Frameworks is a recent graduate who won the awards for both Best New Builder and Best in Show at the recent 2015 Bespoked Bristol.

They’re two outstanding awards on their own, but to win both of them at the same show is a big pat on the back and an indication that your work is appreciated. Fair enough too. Timmy’s blue tourer is no show-stopping Hetchins; rather, it’s a homegrown adventurer that represents as much of the spirit of adventure as it does the ethos of British engineering.

The frame itself is a fine example of fillet brazed Reynolds 853, designed to be a comfortable all-day rider. Still, there was plenty of that on hand at the Bespoked show. Perhaps it was Timmy’s woodworking that captivated the judges.

There is plenty of that. Timmy eschewed a matching steel front basket to the rack for one hewn from wood, assembled with the same beaten copper rivets that hold together the Brooks saddle. The bar end plugs have been crafted in a similar fashion.

A matching custom stem was not forgone, however, and, like the front rack, the RF initials are found in discreet locations, like an artist’s signature. Perhaps unnecessarily, because that cast head badge stands proudly over the whole proceedings.

Timmy’s wife is a seamstress who owns an industrial sewing machine, so he made a canvas tool roll for the saddle, which fits in well with the overall theme. He’s been quoted as saying he “likes objects that get better with use, like a pair of raw denim jeans, an old leather wallet or a pair of boots.”

His preference at this stage, and it’s an early one, is to build what the customer wants or needs, first and foremost, but he’s currently working on “adventure bikes, bikes for expedition or a weekend camping — comfortable and still fast.”

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/rowan-frameworks-blue-tourer/feed0Winter Bicycles Quiscalehttp://www.cycleexif.com/winter-bicycles-quiscale
http://www.cycleexif.com/winter-bicycles-quiscale#commentsFri, 06 Mar 2015 16:45:43 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=17946Quiscalus quiscula is a fairly common bird found in large numbers throughout North America, and although the Blackbird can be found in suburban areas over the rest of the world, the common grackle, as it is otherwise known, is a… Read more »

Quiscalus quiscula is a fairly common bird found in large numbers throughout North America, and although the Blackbird can be found in suburban areas over the rest of the world, the common grackle, as it is otherwise known, is a more colourful character.

Eric Estlund of Oregon’s Winter Bicycles named his latest creation after the grackle not because it is common — far from it — but rather for its colour and propensity for daily adventures.

The grackle can be recognised by its bright yellow eyes, a detail Eric specified to Keith Anderson, one of America’s most famous frame painters (and a fine frame builder in his own right), which he administered faithfully, along with the rest of the blue-black coat.

Eric fabricated the stem specifically for this build, accentuated by the ‘French Point’, reminiscent of the constructeur bikes of René Herse and Alex Singer — appropriate for this modern-day adventurer.

From the front, the Racer brake calipers by Paul Price’s Paul Components almost look like the hungry eyes of a bird, looking down the road, hungry for its next meal. Eric offers custom rack building as an option to his Custom Series Bicycles.

Winter Bicycles is a staunch advocate of specifying American-made parts for his frames, so we’re also looking a White Industries cranks and VBC (Variable Bolt Circle) chainrings. Anyone who has ridden with them knows of their reliability.

A true randonneur only requires a handlebar bag to carry a map and the odd banana but for a longer trek, the front has been complemented with rear panniers by the same maker: San Francisco’s Ruthworks. They sure look the business and only add more similarity to the Quiscale’s plumage.

Eric is heading to Bespoked Bristol, the UK Handmade Bicycle Show, as he has for the last couple of years as an ambassador for the American custom scene. If you’re in the UK at that time, be sure to plan to visit the show and say hi to him there. Special thanks to Anthony Bareno for the photos — see more on the Winter Bicycles website.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/winter-bicycles-quiscale/feed0Paul Brodie 2015 NAHBS Tourerhttp://www.cycleexif.com/paul-brodie-2015-nahbs-tourer
http://www.cycleexif.com/paul-brodie-2015-nahbs-tourer#commentsThu, 26 Feb 2015 16:45:21 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=17891The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is like the Summer Solstice of the framebuilder’s year, and the 2015 edition is almost upon us. This year promises to be the biggest yet and is heading to Louisville, Kentucky. For the past… Read more »

The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is like the Summer Solstice of the framebuilder’s year, and the 2015 edition is almost upon us. This year promises to be the biggest yet and is heading to Louisville, Kentucky.

For the past few years, we’ve been lucky enough to have a sneak peek at what Paul Brodie, patriarch of modern mountainbiking and master framebuilder, will be exhibiting. Ladies and gentlemen, Cycle EXIF is proud to unveil the Brodie Tourer.

Paul teaches Bicycle Frame-Building 101 at Canada’s University of the Fraser Valley and, in keeping with tradition, has generously taken the time to provide an insight, from a builder’s and teacher’s perspective, into the work that goes into making a custom frame such as this. Let’s get into it:

“Many months previously, using the rotary table on the milling machine to hold the head tube lug while the 1/2″ endmill is used to rough cut the shape:

“Close up shot of the manual milling operation; getting close to the red felt pen line traced around the cardboard template:

“Using a hand-held 3/4″ belt sander to get the final shape right:

“Brazed into place with a 1/16″ nickel silver rod; you can also see the fillet braze holding the top tube:

“The rear rack holder was formed from 1/8″ aluminium flat bar in a roller, then cut out and shaped:

If you’re fortunate enough to be heading along to the NAHBS this year, make sure you stroll past Booth #215 and say hi to Paul. Yes, “Frame #4265″ refers to the four thousand, two hundred and sixty five frames that he’s built over the years. Ask him if there’s any vacancies left in his UFV course.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/paul-brodie-2015-nahbs-tourer/feed0Winter Bicycles Galenehttp://www.cycleexif.com/winter-bicycles-galene
http://www.cycleexif.com/winter-bicycles-galene#commentsMon, 16 Feb 2015 16:45:37 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=17811The UK Handmade Bicycle Show, Bespoked Bristol, is returning in 2015 to Brunel’s Old Station on the 17th to 19th of April. The decommissioned terminus is one of the oldest train stations in the world — a fitting venue for… Read more »

The UK Handmade Bicycle Show, Bespoked Bristol, is returning in 2015 to Brunel’s Old Station on the 17th to 19th of April. The decommissioned terminus is one of the oldest train stations in the world — a fitting venue for a celebration of the finest engineered bicycles.

Eric Estlund of Oregon’s Winter Bicycles is a regular visitor and exhibitor to the show and he’ll be there again this year with some new bikes. He recently completed this randonneur which will tide us over till we glimpse the new wares.

A rando frame requires many hours of a framebuilder’s time, due to the extra features required by a long distance ride. Rack and disc brake tabs, lighting and if you’re heading to an overseas destination, S&S couplers will also come in handy, asking for a few more hours.

The finished bike has been titled ‘Galene’, named after a minor goddess of Greek mythology who personifies ‘calm seas’, an apt association for a vehicle destined to travel, with reflections in the littoral sea foam colour — applied by Keith Anderson — and smooth fillet brazing.

Galene might look like a classic craft, but many modern accoutrements have been incorporated, like internally routed front and rear dynamo lighting, an internal Rohloff rear hub and a Gates carbon belt drive system. It’s built around a 650b platform of Grand Bois 42mm tires, custom-formed Berthoud fenders and RuthWorks leather mud flaps.

TRP hydraulic disc brakes perform stopping duties, controlled by a cockpit secured by a custom stem. The luggage racks were also constructed in-house and can be removed depending on need: from a handlebar bag only to a full dresser with lowrider panniers.

She’ll be sure to deliver many years of comfortable riding — see more on the Winter Bicycles website. Special thanks to Eric for the photography.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/winter-bicycles-galene/feed0Rogers Bespoke for Treadlyhttp://www.cycleexif.com/rogers-bespoke-treadly
http://www.cycleexif.com/rogers-bespoke-treadly#commentsTue, 13 Jan 2015 16:45:10 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=17610The world’s best professional cyclists have started to descend on South Australia’s capital city of Adelaide in preparation for the Santos Tour Down Under — the first leg of the UCI World Tour. The six stage race will take the… Read more »

The world’s best professional cyclists have started to descend on South Australia’s capital city of Adelaide in preparation for the Santos Tour Down Under — the first leg of the UCI World Tour. The six stage race will take the riders around the hills of Adelaide and is an exceptionally hot start to the pro tour calendar.

One man who knows those hills very well, and has the common sense to ride over them at a more leisurely pace, is Sam Neeft, proprietor of Adelaide’s best little bike shop, Treadly. One of South Australia’s few frame builders, James Alderson of Rogers Bespoke, built Sam a new hilly tourer last year, painted in the shop’s colours.

It’s only a few months old, but Sam had already put a few thousand kilometres on the clock before James could photograph it. It should be nicely ridden in by now, and looks resplendent in the ochre orange and grey corporate colours, highlighted by the brushed stainless steel lugs.

The brief was for a traditional all-rounder, which James successfully answered with a Columbus-tubed frame, custom stem and forks with all the braze-ons, rack mounts for touring and clearance for fenders. Needless to say, Sam loves it, and offered the following story as evidence:

“Ebenezer Place (where Treadly is located) has been likened to Ramsay St, for the fact that everyone knows everyone and all of their business. Customers at Treadly become friends quite quickly, as most just have a love for bicycles.”

“So when a fella walks through to door a few times, conversation starts, and soon you find out he’s a frame builder, he becomes a good mate! Not so much because you want him for his skills, (that came later) but there aren’t many — if any — frame builders in Adelaide with the passion that JR has from Rogers Bespoke.”

“You chat, throw ideas around, ride and of course this involves a few beverages to lubricant the amount of dribble said within the walls of a bike shop. Natural progression kicks in: “So, want to build me a bike?” “Ok.” It’s as easy as that.”

“Like most, you dream of a custom built bicycle, but who to choose? Well, when it’s supporting a local, it’s a mate and he already knows what you want built… it’s easy to choose.”

“I could talk about the bike, its materials and its components, but to me that’s not what it’s about. I don’t think I would have gotten a custom bicycle unless it was someone I knew and vice versa. I believe it has more character and personality because JR is a friend, and I’m not just a customer.”

“At first he didn’t fully understand the type of bike I wanted. I don’t think I fully knew what I was getting, but there was an unspoken understanding, which led to the bike I had always dreamt of.”

“N-1 sums it up the best. This is my N, and the -1 are the bikes I sold for one that will do everything. So far I don’t need N+1: JR’s build hasn’t stopped me from going to all the places I want to go. Bitumen, dirt roads, gravel, fire tracks, beach, a couple of single tracks and A to B. Rain, hail or shine.”

If you’re heading to Adelaide for the TDU, make sure you stop by Ebenezer Place on Sunday the 25th of January, which will be closed especially for a Swap Meet, hosted by Treadly. The latest bikes by Rogers Bespoke will be on display, as well as many local and interstate sellers (if you’d like to set up a stall yourself, email Sam).

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/rogers-bespoke-treadly/feed0Donhou Cycles x Middle of Nowherehttp://www.cycleexif.com/donhou-cycles-x-middle-nowhere
http://www.cycleexif.com/donhou-cycles-x-middle-nowhere#commentsSun, 11 Jan 2015 16:45:34 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=17593Where is your favourite place to ride? Is it careening through lanes of traffic on your daily commute? Traversing fire roads outside the city in which you live? Deserted B-roads on the way to your tour’s next destination, or a… Read more »

Where is your favourite place to ride? Is it careening through lanes of traffic on your daily commute? Traversing fire roads outside the city in which you live? Deserted B-roads on the way to your tour’s next destination, or a bunch ride with your mates as dawn curls its fingers over the horizon?

Rebecca J Kaye is a designer and illustrator whose favourite riding is located in and around Scotland. Her work is sharp, bold, big and iconic — and mainly draws inspiration from her cycling adventures. Her latest project is called Middle of Nowhere, a stark travelogue of photography, stories and products as beautiful and sparse as the Scottish Highlands they are drawn from.

Rebecca’s personal Instagram feed, and the new Middle of Nowhere stream, is a constant revelation of rugged roads and mountainous trails straight out of Middle Earth. It looks cold and hard, and she recently assigned Tom Donhou to build her the ultimate vehicle to explore those routes.

The frame is fillet brazed from Reynolds 853 tubes, finished with a matte grey overcoat. A peek up the sleeves, however, reveals the diagonal stripes that form the Middle of Nowhere branding, which Rebecca has incorporated into a delectable selection of jerseys, Tshirts, totes and other products available in her online store.

The slender geometry is based around a 26″ wheelbase with enough clearance to accommodate mountain bike tyres, if required. Mechanical disc brakes will help haul Rebecca up, even under the wettest or frostiest conditions.

It’s built up with a mixture of SRAM Force and Rival finishing kits, topped off with a brilliant flash of colour, thanks to Chris King’s limited edition turquoise hubs and headset.

In these photos, taken by George Marshall, it looks fresh and clean but rest assured, it won’t be long before Rebecca and the Scottish Highlands decorate it with miles of adventures.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/donhou-cycles-x-middle-nowhere/feed0Chapman Cycles Tourerhttp://www.cycleexif.com/chapman-cycles-tourer
http://www.cycleexif.com/chapman-cycles-tourer#commentsThu, 16 Oct 2014 16:45:54 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=17164While the slogan of Chapman Cycles reads as ‘Modern Bikes for Vintage Souls’, it’s interesting to make note of the flatland BMX frame that Brian Chapman recently built for himself — executed with the same meticulous care and craftsmanship that… Read more »

While the slogan of Chapman Cycles reads as ‘Modern Bikes for Vintage Souls’, it’s interesting to make note of the flatland BMX frame that Brian Chapman recently built for himself — executed with the same meticulous care and craftsmanship that he pays to his touring frames.

The BMX is a tight little ship of a bike, which Brian whips around with utter grace and speed, but a complete juxtaposition to the cyclotouring frame shown here, which is as elaborate and considered as any of the bikes built by the French constructeurs.

Brian’s workshop is located in Rhode Island, the smallest of the 50 US states, which shares a border with Massachusetts, his home state. Social riding around the island is a major influence on the type of frames he has come to specialise in these days, namely award-winning commuters and light tourers.

This particular tourer was presented to the public at the Bike Cult Show in NYC in August, where it wowed the crowds with the level of detail Brian takes pride in. The hand-carved lugwork is superb, demonstrating that he is willing to spend time creating something truly unique.

The front and rear racks, essential to any touring bike, were custom-built to specification, including removable lowrider attachments. Brian has worked a lot with NOS brakesets such as the Dura-Ace set on Josie’s Roadie, and the pair of Mafac Racers were installed here.

Brian strives for complete integration in his bikes, a real challenge when it comes to involved frames like these, but one that he relishes. Supernova E3 lights in the front and rear will illuminate the night roads, powered by a dynamo hub with internal wiring.

A nice complement to the Mafac brakes is the NOS half-step Avocet crankset, a setup which eliminates duplicate gearing (Velo Apocalypse explains this extensively). Brian sourced a pair of Avocet toe straps to match and followed by sewing on toe clip leathers as well.

For Brian, it’s all about the details — like a set of spare spokes that double as a chain-slap protector, a Lezyne pump painted in the same colour and, upon request of the customer, a whale design, carved out of the bottom bracket shell.

It would be a grand sight to see this bike fully-laden, a steadfast craft ready for adventure. You can see more of Brian’s work, not to mention his kick-ass flatland skills, on the Chapman Cycles website.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/chapman-cycles-tourer/feed0Van Nicholas 650b Pioneerhttp://www.cycleexif.com/van-nicholas-650b-pioneer
http://www.cycleexif.com/van-nicholas-650b-pioneer#commentsMon, 22 Sep 2014 16:45:23 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=16973For the bicycle tourist, Japan is a heavenly destination — one filled simultaneously with bright excitement and serene hideaways. You can pitch a tent just about anywhere, the locals are polite, the scenery and culture is spellbinding, and so is… Read more »

For the bicycle tourist, Japan is a heavenly destination — one filled simultaneously with bright excitement and serene hideaways. You can pitch a tent just about anywhere, the locals are polite, the scenery and culture is spellbinding, and so is the terrain.

Van Nicholas is a Dutch company that specialise in bicycles for the dedicated European tourist and although this one was designed for 26″ wheels, it’s heading for Japan with 650b sizes instead, where they are more common.

You may remember the wonderful Cinelli Porteur we featured a while ago, built up by Martin Zeplichal, a Viennese designer and developer. He was also keen to share another project: his Van Nicholas Pioneer that he intends to take on a tour of Japan next year.

The 26″ frame took a bit of tinkering to accommodate the 650b wheels, but that was accomplished through the use of Paul Components’ vertically adjustable Motolite brakes, which enable a 650b or 700c wheel to be run on a 26″ frame.

Martin applied a similar style to his tourer that he did for the porteur, allowing us to admire the beauty of aged metal. The titanium frame and polished parts look shiny now, but after a few thousand miles will begin to develop their own stories.

The introduction is already told by the rear light, a Radios unit from the 60s that’s been updated with LEDs and powered by the SON Edelux dynamo front hub. The headlight is set on a custom mount atop aluminium fenders.

The drivetrain is powered by a high-polished White Industries crankset slotted into an eccentric bottom bracket — a choice of single speeders worldwide — the robust construction of which will guarantee years of trouble-free cycling.

The rear wheel is built around a maintenance-free 14-gear Rohloff internal hub, also preferred by serious tourers and commuters. It’s a serious bit of kit, but the perfect vehicle for losing — and finding yourself — in the Japanese countryside.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/van-nicholas-650b-pioneer/feed0Royal H Cycles Constructeurhttp://www.cycleexif.com/royal-h-cycles-constructeur
http://www.cycleexif.com/royal-h-cycles-constructeur#commentsWed, 13 Aug 2014 16:45:56 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=16690Even Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H Cycles admits this was a BIG PROJECT. For any framebuilder, attempting to replicate the work of masters such as Alex Singer and René Herse entails a dedication and perseverance that instills a deep respect… Read more »

Even Bryan Hollingsworth of Royal H Cycles admits this was a BIG PROJECT. For any framebuilder, attempting to replicate the work of masters such as Alex Singer and René Herse entails a dedication and perseverance that instills a deep respect for their craft.

For his customer, Tom, Bryan built an interpretation of a constructeur-style frame which, combined with a complete suite of vintage components, results in a sensational juxtaposition of old and new. Like the bikes of the Herse and Singer, this Royal H will age just as gracefully over the next 50 years — at least.

Tom sourced the complements, including Mafac cantilever brakes, TA cranks, a Huret drivetrain with Simplex shifters, a Zefal pump and an Ideale saddle with aluminium rails. The frame has all the refined touches: such as internal wiring for the dynamo lighting and bi-lam joints at the head tube.

There’s items that were custom machined, like the yolk pulleys on the rear brakes and binder bolts. Bryan doesn’t mind admitting that if he were a true constructeur, he would have made them himself, but “we live in a modern world, and this is as close to a constructeur as i want to get”.

Fair play. Extra special thanks to Eric Baumann for the fantastic shots — see more on the Royal H Cycles flickr stream, and follow along at the Royal H tumblr.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/royal-h-cycles-constructeur/feed0Sven Cycles x Carradicehttp://www.cycleexif.com/sven-cycles-x-carradice
http://www.cycleexif.com/sven-cycles-x-carradice#commentsFri, 08 Aug 2014 16:45:27 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=16658The workshop of Darron Sven Coppin is located in the bustling seaside town of Weymouth Dorset on the southern English coast, eight kilometres north of the original Portland. The region, like any in the British Isles, renowned for excellent cycle… Read more »

The workshop of Darron Sven Coppin is located in the bustling seaside town of Weymouth Dorset on the southern English coast, eight kilometres north of the original Portland. The region, like any in the British Isles, renowned for excellent cycle touring, and Darron has established a reputation for building excellent tourers. A recent collaboration with Carradice resulted in this marvellous example.

Carradice has been manufacturing durable, waterproof bags for the discerning cyclo-tourist since 1932. One of the last bastions of the Nelson, Lancashire mill industry, their comprehensive range includes the legendary, rugged and stylish Super C baggage, constructed from 100% waterproof cotton duck. Sven Cycles built a bike to match, with the same resilience and reliability as the bags.

This is the first of a production model which will be offered through the Carradice website — an exciting move for the brand. Frames will be fitted to the customer according to a standardised design. Options such as internal gearing will be available, but all come with carbon fenders, adding a modern contrast, developed by an expert in the material: Adrian Bedford of Swarf Cycles.

]]>http://www.cycleexif.com/sven-cycles-x-carradice/feed3Firefly Bicycles All-road Tourerhttp://www.cycleexif.com/firefly-bicycles-all-road-tourer
http://www.cycleexif.com/firefly-bicycles-all-road-tourer#commentsWed, 30 Jul 2014 16:45:25 +0000http://www.cycleexif.com/?p=16535A custom frame is a very significant and enjoyable investment, but not one that should be entered into lightly. Every detail must be confirmed, from the drivetrain to the smallest bolt. It can be an arduous process, it’s true, but… Read more »

A custom frame is a very significant and enjoyable investment, but not one that should be entered into lightly. Every detail must be confirmed, from the drivetrain to the smallest bolt. It can be an arduous process, it’s true, but that day when you finally see that bike freshly built up… well, you’d feel like a groom gazing upon his bride.

Tyler, Jamie and Kevin of Boston’s Firefly Bicycles are well versed in counselling the prospective customer to ensure the new frame is a perfect match. Even when the customer lives in Utrecht. Ad Vermaas flew from The Netherlands to Boston to receive his new Firefly, then promptly turned around and flew back to Europe with it to embark on a Romanian tour.

Ad tells the story: “I’ve been following Firefly from their start. I had been lusting after an Independent Fabrication for some time, but when Tyler Evans and Jamie Medeiros, and a bit later Kevin Wolfson, left IF and started Firefly, I knew I’d found my new dream bike. It took me some time to get there, but in 2013 I ordered an all-road bike.

“I picked it up in Boston at the end of July and left a day later for it’s maiden trip through Romania (together with Stefan Rohner, whose own Firefly has been featured on Cycle EXIF as well). Besides a ride in Boston there was no time for testing, but as Firefly built me a complete bike I was convinced it would work fine.

“It isn’t designed as a hardcore touring bike. For instance, it has less handlebar drop than my road bikes, but for a dedicated tourer I would have opted for even less drop. Most of the time it will be used for long-distance rides, for unpaved roads and as a bad-weather bike. It has clearance for 45mm tires or for 35mm tires with smooth stainless steel Velo Orange fenders.

“The Rohloff, SON hub and Supernova lights will get me through the dark and wet Dutch Autumns and Winters. Other components are a Phil Wood eccentric BB, XO cranks, Force spider, Race Face chainring, TRP Hylex hydro disc brakes, a Firefly post and stem, a Salsa Cowbell 2 bar, the brand new Cinq thumb shifters for Rohloff, a King headset and Velocity Cliff Hanger rims.

“The Blackburn front rack will be replaced by a custom rack later on. I’ll also be swapping out the pedals for Shimano XTR pedals and the saddle for a slate Brooks Cambium C15. The custom steel fork is made by Engin and has internal routing for the lights and the brake, forward-facing dropouts and eyelets for fender and rack.

“The frame is beautifully made, has the Rohloff cables running through the down tube, the rear-light wire through the top tube and the rear brake through the top tube and the seat stay. It is bead-blasted and has brushed anodized graphics. I moved the FIREFLY logotype to the seat tube.

“On the top tube I wanted the patterned headbadge logo design (which was part of Firefly’s logo design study) with yellow and pink anodization and polished diagonal lines.

“It was too risky though, because the thin lines might not turn out very crisp. So Tyler designed the final variant and suggested the fading colors. The matching fork is painted by Bill McDonald, former head painter at Serotta, who has his own paint shop now.

“When starting this project, I was like a kid in a candy store. Luckily, Kevin is not only a fantastic frame designer, he is also very helpful and amazingly patient. It was thanks to him that my wishlist was reduced to more realistic proportions. All our conversations went via e-mail, but that wasn’t a problem at all. I’m sure this will be my favourite bike from now on.”

Sounds like a marriage made in heaven. Kevin also had this to say about his contribution to the relationship: “We built it specifically for a tour through Romania he’s doing. Romania has some rough roads, so clearance for big tires was a must. We designed it specifically for weight on the front — there aren’t even rack mounts on the back. That means it has a short trail to reduce wheel flop when he is carrying weight on the front rack.

“I think my favourite thing about this bike is how simple it looks and how easy and maintenance free it will be to ride,” Kevin says, “but how complicated it was to put together. All of the cables and wires are routed internally, the gears are internal, there’s no battery for the lights, the light mounts are integrated into the frame and rack, etc. It’s basically ready for anything.”

And the anodisation graphics? “The graphic was inspired by an early logo concept ID29 drew for us. Ad saw the concept in a picture and loved it, then we figured out how to make it work on the frame and fork. The ano fade shows off two colours we use less often but that are really beautiful: pink and yellow. In between those two colours is a very subtle section of orange. All of those colours work with the turquoise Chris King headset.”

All of which should have culminated in a very happy reception for Ad and his new Firefly. The two of them should enjoy countless miles together, especially on their honeymoon tour around Romania. Bon voyage. Special thanks to Ad and Kevin for the words and pictures. See more of Firefly’s blinding portfolio on their flickr page, and get in touch with the team through their website.